


rumored

by batsugars



Category: Animal House (Movies)
Genre: Alcohol, F/M, Fraternities & Sororities, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Relationship(s), Suggestive Themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-01-02 20:15:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21167234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batsugars/pseuds/batsugars
Summary: "Am I in love with Boon?""Are you?""No! No. I don't know. I don't know."





	1. rum and coke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I initially write these in lowercase, so please excuse any capitalization I've missed.

Boon hangs over the bar and flicks with two fingers. "Whatcha got in stock tonight, sweetheart?"

Katy doesn't look up, doesn't have to. "Well," she says, "A rum and coke seems to be the choice of the night." Her eyes roll from the bar over to Boon, along with the dark glass she hands him.

"Rum and coke? That's a classic!" Boon exclaims, in his way where he doesn't really exclaim anything, over the sounds of the party behind him. Delta Tau Chi has just about gotten the night started, and Boon already thinks he saw one of their new pledges vomit on the sticky carpeting. It's beautiful work.

As Boon leans back over the bar, a sloppy refrain carries over the chatter and music - "_Eric Stratton, rush chairman, damn glad to meetcha_" - and Mr. Eric Stratton, rush chairman, damn glad to meetcha soon meets them at present.

"Rush chairman? You're kidding! Katy, we've got a real hotshot here!" Boon exclaims as Otter claps him on the back. "Bluto, you hear who we got over here? It's Eric fuckin' Stratton!"

From his perch upon the back of a couch across the room, Bluto yells the old familiar suggestion, and they all laugh. "Get this man a rum and coke, on me."

Katy shakes her head and pours and serves, and Otter says, "Rum and coke? That's a fuckin' classic!" The twos of them drink and the rum barely registers in the hazy, boozy air.

The night disappears down the bottle - for Otter and Katy, at least. Boon has managed to keep most of his wits about him as he carries Katy up to his room, to drape her over his mattress and tuck her in. Her bushy hair carves a frame around her sleepy eyes, freckled cheeks, perennially-pursed lips. Boon adores her, and checks his watch.

It's 4am. Otter should have finished up with whatever - or whoever - he's doing, so Boon leaves his room, closes the door very quietly behind him, and jogs down the hall.

Boon follows procedure to the letter.

1\. A brother is to first stand outside the door and, before even knocking, he is to use what little remains of his sobriety to sense for any residual presences within the room of Eric "Otter" Stratton. (None to report, sir!)

2\. If nothing sensible is sensed, a brother may place his ear upon the door. This is an important step: he must take care to identify whether any moaning is from ecstasy, or from horrible, throbbing, take-me-to-a-hospital pain. (Boon only hears low music.)

3\. In the event of pleasure, he must leave. In the event of pain, he must laugh. In the event of anything else, a brother must not knock, but instead scratch the door. (This method was devised so as not to ruin whatever mood Otter may be trying to create in his den of sin - if anyone inside notices the scratching, Otter can pass it off as the mice Flounder keeps feeding.)

Boon takes a step back and with two fingers, gives the door a loud scratch.

"The cat's away, dearie," a voice from inside drawls sleepily. "Get in here."

4\. If beckoned, a brother must come. (Boon enters dutifully.)

Eric's room is hot, though he always keeps it that way - hot and musty. He's on his sofa, finishing a glass of something clear.

"I hope that's water," Boon tuts.

"Of course it is. Couldja get me some more? You need any?" Otter asks, and Boon takes it from his hand.

"I’m pretty alright, actually," Boon says at the faucet. "D-Day snuck me a sub he got on the way over, though it was after he'd picked out all the salami, provolone, lettuce, and onions out of it."

"So you had some bread, is what you're saying."

"I had some bread with pickles on it, yes," Boon says seriously, joining Otter on the couch. "The man left his pickles."

"Aw, lucky you!" Otter pauses and squints. "When did you get a black eye?"

Boon shrugs. "I ate the man's pickles."

Otter laughs, then touches Boon's cheek with his thumb to appraise it in the light, then jumps up to go find ice. Then he falters and stumbles to a halt. "Oh, Jesus H. Christ, that-- woof," Otter grits his teeth, hand on his head.

Boon laughs too - "You're already hung-over?!" - and Otter starts laughing, and they're both laughing, and Otter almost falls over and Boon's stomach hurts and Otter keeps stumbling to the door to get ice out of the ice box, still holding his head and laughing. He's still smiling when he returns to Boon, who's splayed out over the couch and looking back at him with half-lidded eyes.

"Now how am I supposed to service you when you're taking up all the real estate," Otter says, hands on hips.

Boon raises two eyebrows. "Is our second motto not 'a delta brother makes do'?"

"Really, sit up."

"I’m tired, Eric, I can't."

"Oh _you're_ the tired one? Sorry, I didn't realize 'staring dreamily into my girlfriend's eyes all night' was so exhausting."

"Well now, you've really put me in my place there! You're right, 'staring dreamily into _other guys_' girlfriends' eyes' is MUCH more strenuous."

Otter kicks his leg. Boon sits up, still horizontal on the couch; when Otter falls into the vacated space, Boon rests his head back down in the dip of Otter's legs. Otter looks at him pointedly. "Now _that's_ how rumors start," he says, but doesn't move, just shifts more comfortably into the corner of the sofa before again placing his hands around Boon's face to examine his eye.

Boon's eyes wander up to Eric's, then over to the jean zipper his head rests next to. Boon thinks, _No, this is, _and sleepily imagines pecking Otter a kiss right there on that shiny metal zip. He grins at the thought and Eric catches it as he dabs at Boon's eye with the pack of ice.

"Got something to share with the class, Schoenstein?"

"Just my usual boyish antics, professor."

"Are you going to marry Katy, Donald?"

Boon blinks out of his reverie. "W.. what?"

"Did I say that?" Eric blinks. "Sorry class, let's turn to page 26--"

"Why are you asking me that now," Boon laughs weirdly.

"Well, I--" Boon's sitting up now, and has turned around to face Otter. "Aw, shit. I don't know," Eric says and runs a hand through his hair. The mood has turned unexpectedly serious and neither of them seem to like the change. "I was just thinking about the future, I guess. Our post-Faber lives."

"That's news to me. Why so introspective all of a sudden?"

"This isn't introspection, this is just," Otter fiddles with his shirt collar, "wondering what's gonna happen to us all when we leave, with us being seniors. Where Delta's gonna go, when we aren't, y'know, bound in holy fraternity against the law of a corrupt and unjust college."

"We'll be bound by an even more corrupt law - that of the state."

"Har har. Still haven't answered my question."

Boon looks at Otter, then down at his hands. "I think we all can tell where Katy and I will go," he says. He thinks back on how the lights from the party glittered in her eyes, how everything about her seems to roll, like huge tidal waves crashing from one thing to the next, from her gestures to her voice to her eyes. "Yeah, Otter, I think I'll marry Katy. Et tu, Brutay?"

“I think I'll keep sleeping around until I die, Julius," Eric says with a straight face. When Boon gives him one back, he pouts. "Of course I don't know what I'll do, Donald old boy, my grades are nowhere near good enough to get into med school." He looks at his hands. "You... you and Katy, you two... I don't know, marriage is for people who've got it all together, it means you've made it that far. And you two do, she's got a house and you'll move in with her and that's great, it's great for you two. It's great."

Boon lets the air sit a little (and they both hear a dull crash downstairs). He takes Otter's hands and says with full sincerity, "We'll hire you on as the gardener of our estate."

Eric barks a laugh. "I might as well be your golf instructor!" They both chuckle, and Bluto's muffled voice comes from the floorboards, shouting words of a crude rhythm.

"What the hell do you think Blutarsky's gonna do when HE leaves Faber?"

"Guy's on his seventh year, I don't think he'll ever leave."

This gives Boon an idea, though, and his lips pull into a grin that his teeth don't follow. "Otter, I have it. you should become a professor."

"Now that's funny."

"I’m serious, you never have to leave! Sleep with all the girls you like, they're all of age!" he says, laughing to himself. "You can be one of the cool ones, too -- me and Katy went with that new pledge Pinto and smoked pot with one uvem just the other day."

"What'd I teach in?"

"Pre-law, of course."

"You mean pre-med."

"What's the difference!"

"Sure, sure, if that kind of advice will help you sleep at night, sure," Otter laughs, getting up and forcing the ice pack into Boon's hand. "You can take care of your own self, you freeloadin' prick. Get back to your Katy dearest."

Boon pouts. "But she's asleep!"

Otter looks at him pointedly. "There's only one other Delta scumbag awake right now, and I don't think you want to share a bed with _him_ tonight. Get on with yourself, Boon."

"I get it," he says, and gets up toward the door. Otter follows him over ‘til Boon's out in the hallway, and Otter's leaning against the door.

"Thanks for the tender love and care," Boon says.

"Sure," Otter replies. The hallway is harshly lit compared to the comforting dark of Otter's room. Boon looks past him into it, and Otter notices how his eyes soften into the creases of his face. He suddenly feels a pang in his chest, though he doesn't know why, and wishes he could invite him back in.

Boon looks like he wants to say something; there's a long silence between them, as they look at each other, and hear muted sounds of Bluto stomping somewhere downstairs. Something is stopping them from embracing - where did the "holy fraternity" go? - but there's something more Boon feels in his heart, and then a little ways south of that, that almost hurts when he doesn't. So instead Boon wishes Otter good night and walks back to his Katy. Snuggling into bed next to her, he finds that her body heat is not nearly as much a comfort as Otter's hands in his were, just a few minutes before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback on whatever is appreciated! Title and tagline are subject to change, though I like the chapter titles themselves. Thank you for reading the first fic I've written in seven years!!!


	2. beer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I've decided on a chapter name scheme, hehehehehe.

"Why's everyone wanna know what I'm doing after Faber? Otter asked me the same thing last night! I just don't get why everyone's so interested, is it the new haircut?"

"Well Boon, you're graduating in the spring!"

"_Graduate_ is a strong word, Katy. Us delta crapholes prefer _vacate the premises_. And we're ALL gonna be gone soon! Hey, Hoov - Hoov, where ya going after Faber?"

Hoover starts and gulps. "Well uh, my father has a--"

Across the cafeteria a kitchen lady begins smacking Bluto’s head with a frying pan. Hoover turns gray. "Aw shit, I’ll catch you later Boon, I gotta-- BLUTO, BLUTO YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT JELLO! BLU--"

Boon waves them off dismissively and says back to Katy, "Let's just drop it." She shakes her head and sighs, before looking up in recognition. "Hiya Pinto!"

"Hi Katy. Boon, hi," Pinto effuses, and Boon scoots over in the booth to accommodate him.

"How's our pledge doing, huh?" Boon says, slinging an arm around his back; Pinto's eyes wobble in his direction. "Doing, doing, doing well!" he warbles.

Boon looks at him. "Are you high?"

"Yeah!" Pinto nods.

Katy and Boon exchange glances and laugh. "Guess that's as good a start to Faber life as any! Hey, Otter!"

"Hey everyone! Mind if I sit?"

"No, no, not at all! Pinto's high."

"Pinto, what the fuck were you thinking!"

"I'm sorry, Otter, I guess--"

"Coming over here without bringing US any, I swear. I ought to string you up right now."

Katy and Pinto laugh. Otter leans over the table to talk directly to Boon: "Hey, Bluto wants to throw another party in a couple days. Says we didn't drink enough beer last time, and I'd agree, but I checked the pantry and we're actually all out."

"You wanna go and pick some up tonight?"

"Well, I'm thinking this should mostly be a BYOB operation myself, but then _all_ we'll have is beer. Crappy beer." Otter already has a stupid, conniving grin on his face. "I think we should give our friends at Omega a ring."

Boon stares, then grins too, a little meanly. "Well geez, Otter, I’m not sure if Delta's ever hosted a _wine-tasting_, but we could try!"

"I _know_ they've got good booze! Just not where they hide it," Otter says seriously. "We'll have to get some of the other boys to cover for us as we look, but I think it'll be a riot."

"Alright, alright. You alert the troops, I’ll start brainstorming. Meet at oh-nine-hundred hours tomorrow, strike around ten?"

"That's a plan. Thanks, Boon," Otter says with warmth, and Boon reaches out a hand to shake his.

"It's what we do," he says.

\--

Bluto and D-day are dressed to the nines in camo, army packs, ill-fitting helmets and face paint. Otter and Bluto look at them like they're idiots. Delta's idiots.

Pinto and Flounder are similarly dressed, though it's obvious they didn't plan for guerilla warfare when packing their bags for Faber college. Bluto and D-day must be mentoring them, but Boon supposes they could do worse, as Otter coughs up some flem beside him.

"Well, Boon," Otter says, clearing his throat, "Any thoughts on where they'd keep the goods?"

"Omega's in such good graces with the dean, there's no way anything'd be in plain sight. I'd assume under the floorboards, but Omega'd never damage the hardwood."

"So what did you come up with?"

"Jack shit, sir. Lads?"

Pinto and Flounder are just about to start fumbling when D-day barks, "ICE BOX."

Boon and Otter blink. "Oh. Right. Well... You know the drill, then."

D-day salutes. "Fuck shit up and don't get caught!"

Bluto screams and runs out of Delta house, D-day following swiftly; Pinto and Flounder scramble to keep up. Otter turns to Boon, and Boon adjusts Otter’s bowtie. "Thanks. Shall we?"

"Let's." They walk out the door at a casual pace and make their way, disguised in matching blue blazers as Omega dickheads, towards the enemy frat house.

\--

The air is already thick with chaos as Donald and Eric saunter through the front doors of omega theta phi. Crazed piano notes and sounds of toppling furniture echo from all corners of the mansion frat as the two confer on where the kitchen might be. They soon find the fridge, after asking directions from a scared pledge hiding behind a particularly ornate lamp, but find only basic groceries inside.

"Hmmmm, I wonder," Otter muses, as he leans down inquisitively to lift up a massive slab of meat. Boon whistles at what's underneath: "Oh ho ho, _jackpot_."

As they investigate, however, sirens begin to blare from outside the open window. Otter looks at Boon and gives a toothy grin as the adrenaline starts pumping through Boon's veins. "Ah, the pigs're prompt as always! Bluto, boys, give us a hand and let's get the hell outta here!"

\--

Otter and Boon are entirely serious, quiet, and focused as they run back to Delta house, pledges frantically tailing. But once through the threshold - they can't help themselves and cackle like hyenas until they're all falling over the bannister. Boon disappears downstairs to where Bluto has already stashed their prize, and returns triumphantly with a case of beer. Eric's eyes light up. They reward the pledges with their own gifts before heading upstairs alone, together.

They settle into Eric’s couch. Otter turns the can over in his hands, appraising it with faux authority. "Boon, this is bougier booze than you or I have ever laid eyes on." Boon snorts. Otter adds, cynically, "And yet, somehow I'm not at all excited."

"It was free, wasn't?"

"Of course, you're right. But you know, if our crappy beer tastes like piss, what does rich people beer taste like?"

In unison they agree, "Rich people piss."

They crack open their cans. "The greatest insult we at delta house can give," Otter announces, "is to give these fine drinks absolutely none of the appreciation they deserve. Bon appetit!"

"Bon appetit," Boon cheers, and they clink cans and chug. It actually tastes pretty good, Boon thinks with some disappointment, but he makes a point to ignore it (like he knows Otter is too). They wipe their mouths, pause, look at each other, and finally nod stupidly. "It's piss."

Boon keeps drinking as Otter talks. "So Bluto wants this party to happen, uh, Friday night, so that gives us three days to get as many women in here as possible," he says with a sloppy grin.

Boon rolls his eyes. "Aren't you already dating that girl? Betsy Shoeman?"

"I was going to break up with her Thursday," Otter shrugs, swirling the spit in his can around.

"You hooked up with her Wednesday."

"I'm giving her a week and a day, isn't that enough?"

"Oh, _too_ much," Boon says, rolling his eyes again, making to get up. Otter wraps his arm around his, though, and pulls him back down.

"Don't leave," he pouts, "like they always do!"

"You're the one who leaves!"

Otter looks at him seriously. "Boon, you're not actually mad that I go out with so many women, are you?"

"Some would say it's rude."

"I'm not asking _some_."

"Oh, you know I don't really give a shit." He takes another drink. "Does it leave you all happy?"

"Happy? Sure it does, I guess."

"The girls, too?"

"They get over it."

"You want my opinion, fine. If you're making every single girl you dump cry for a week, then that's a crock of shit you're doling out, Otter."

Otter looks at Boon with an unreadable expression, and sets his jaw slightly. "And it makes me unhappy staying with them," he says with a pout. "The only way no one gets hurt is if I'm completely alone forever, is that it?"

"That's not it at all, you sonuva bitch," Boon soothes, patting his arm. "You’re wouldn’t be alone. You've got me."

Otter sighs loudly and dramatically. "And a fat load of good that does me." Otter laughs and leans his head onto Boon's. "All the womanizing skills I've built up over all these years -- wasted! Where would I find employment if ‘local hot stud’ is no longer on the table?” he moans loudly before taking a swig.

"Hot stud isn't exactly 'employment'. No one's paying you for your supple young body, yet."

"Payment, huh. I don't know how I'd feel about selling this dick," Otter muses. "And Delta already gets a bad enough rap as it is, I'm not sure if we need a sponsored campus slut in residence."

"Everyone already assumes we're gay," Boon offers dryly. "What's another scandal on top?"

Otter tilts his head thoughtfully as Boon adds, "Besides, it's not like you _can_ ever keep girls for long. One-off nights are perfect for you!"

Otter’s jaw drops. "Oh that's low! At least they keep coming for me!"

"And then keep running away, after realizing how shit you are in bed," Boon taunts.

Otter is getting riled up on his side of the sofa. "You piece of shit! I'm fantastic, and all the girls know it."

"Is what they say when they don't want to hurt your feelings."

"You'll see Friday night."

"Not fair, that gives you too much time to read back up on sex ed."

"Fucker!"

Otter leaps across the couch at Boon, who ducks under his hands and grabs Otter around the waist. Their beers fall as they tussle over each other on the cushions, battering heads and smacking stomachs until they’ve swapped sides and Otter has Boon pinned on the couch, both breathing heavily under the beginnings of a tipsy daze.

"How's about, huff, I show you -- right -- now -- what I can do," Otter pants, eyes blazing.

Boon glares up at him wildly. "I would _love_ to see you try."

Otter stares. In a fit of anger he grabs Boon's head and without thinking, throws his own forward. Boon is wild in the moment and just as angrily pulls Otter's head to him, tufts of hair in his fists, and they hold each other there, faces mashed together in the dark of the room.

They are stuck in time, messy time.

Then Otter releases Boon's face, and Boon lets go and falls back onto the couch -- with a very loud smack of his lips that snaps them both out of the spell. They stare at each other as realization begins to dawn. Otter watches Boon, his face an unreadable flurry of thoughts, conveyed in a single, wide-eyed stare.

Boon swallows. To his own surprise, he breaks the silence, and says --

"...Was that it?"

The rest of Otter's beer can quietly dribbles onto the carpet below.

Otter repeats slowly, "You want me to show you?"

Boon nods.

Otter recognizes, suddenly, a teasing glimmer in Boon's eye. Ah, right. Well known homosexuals, this is all it is. Of course. What's a little funny truth to a rumor between friends? Otter wears a little teasing grin of his own.

A hand slowly cups Boon's jawline. (He subconsciously adjusts his legs.)

DELETED SCENES

Boon arranges himself seductively, goofily, on the other side of the couch. He bats his eyes. "Ravish me, Eric."

\--

Otter reflects. "You think we could ever attract a guy?"

"Who's _we_?"

"I would only assume if I started selling my body that you'd do the same. In solidarity."

"Not part of our fraternity pledge, Otter."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Might proofread the ending a bit more later, just wanted to get this out there! The "deleted scenes" in this chapter are parts that I actually rewrote or left out, but in the future they might just be fun unrelated Boon/Otter moments. Thanks again for reading!


	3. water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confusion ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really thought I already posted this chapter! And for that I am sorry, it has been written for several months now, ooooops

When Boon steps onto campus the next morning, it is only under the weight of the unfounded paranoia that every student now attending Faber college is somehow aware of what transpired last night.

Boon is not someone to kiss and tell, mainly because the only person he's kissed in some years has been Katy. (Before last night, that is.) But his new secret has lit a torch in him and it burns, it burns deep and unpleasantly in his gut. What if everyone can tell something's off with him? What if Otter told someone? What if Flounder was outside the door and overheard, or Pinto awake listening through the floorboards, or Hoover glancing up at the window from out back, or--

"Boon! I've been trying to find you all day, where've you been?" Katy smiles sweetly at him and internally, he blanches.

"Hiya Katy," he says rapidly, "Just been around to do some errands. I'm kinda busy today, could I catch you later? Thanks, I’ll see you around! If you see Hoover tell him I need his homework by Tuesday! Bye!" He leaves with what he hopes is his usual brisk step, but his head is nothing short of swimming.

Katy, Katy, his Katy, what the fuck is he gonna tell _Katy_? Can he tell her _anything_? She's cheated on him before, okay, and each time it's made them both feel like shit. Absolute crap. But Boon, Boon's never really cheated. He treats girls well but hasn't slept with any of them, never kissed them, always been faithful, but Katy, Katy, his Katy, he cheats on her with

_OTTER_?

A voice says his name, and he's too locked in thought to try and deal with yet another person who wants to have a normal conversation. "Sorry, I’m busy," he says to no one he can see, and keeps walking, but a strong hand grabs his shoulder and pulls him around and he's facing--

"Boon."

"Bluto?" Boon gapes dumbly.

"Boon, you need to talk."

"I...I need to what?" _Don't you have that backwards_?

"You look sick. Let's get to Delta."

"I’m not sick... Bluto, I have two more classes left today, I can't afford to skip this time. Bluto, I’m serious!"

"You're SICK," Bluto barks, and suddenly hoists Boon up bridal-style and starts carrying him down the walk, "You've got the FLU and you're COMIN' WITH ME, BOON!"

"I CAN WALK, YOU-- YOU FUCKER!"

About halfway back Boon stops actively struggling, and only pretends to, to keep up appearances. He has no idea who might have seen them, but by the time they reach the front doorstep he's too exhausted - physically, emotionally - to care. Bluto slowly shoves the front door open with his shoulder, kicks it closed behind him, and Boon expects to be dropped on the hardwood at any moment.

But he isn't, and instead he's taken downstairs and into the corner room in the basement that constitutes Bluto's bedroom, a place he's only entered in a couple times. Boon hears the tinkling of several beer cans being kicked off a sofa before he's placed upon it, with a surprising degree of care coming from John Blutarsky of Delta House.

Boon sits up but pushes himself into the sofa, eyeing Bluto warily. "Now will you tell me why you dragged me back here?" he asks.

Bluto settles himself on the bed opposite Boon, and hands him a tall silver canteen.

"What's in it?"

"It's good for you," Bluto burps.

Boon takes a sip, coughs, and stares at it in bewilderment. Then he starts laughing, and keeps laughing. It's just water. John Bluto _Blutarsky_ keeps a flask of _water_. Boon wipes his eyes. "I’m serious, what's going on here?"

"What's going on with you and Otter?"

"Nothing, nothing's going on, we're good."

Bluto raises an eyebrow.

Boon meets his gaze. "Me and Otter are none of your business," he says quietly.

"Like hell you aren't," Bluto says with full lucidity. his small eyes are focused like Boon hasn't seen them in a long time. "I’ve been here seven years. I named both you scumbags back when you were Pizzaface and Loudmouth and I know you well enough to know something, is, up. You looked like you were gonna vomit when you left this morning, and Otter looked like a ghost."

"Did he tell you what happened?"

Bluto lifts his head high and blows air out of his nose seriously. "I know everything that happens in this house."

Boon shifts uncomfortably.

"So," Bluto says slowly, "Yeah. Yeah, I can tell what happened, and Boon? I think you're real torn up about it. Huh? Can't tell Katy-kat, can't tell your buddy, no one else here who really getscha. So I’ll do the getscha-ing."

Boon blinks.

"I think you need some body to talk to, is what I’m sayin'. I’m here for what you need, so, get it out."

Boon's mouth wobbles. "Well, I... I think I need a beer more than water, right now."

Bluto nods and pulls out a case, and they get to work.

"And I just want to kiss him! And keep kissing him, over and over again, it's like nothing I’ve ever felt before! Not even my first time was this weird or bad, it's awful! What the hell am I supposed to do with this, D-Day, he ran out of the room like a bat outta hell but I just can't - stop - thinking about it!!"

“You gotta keep kissing him," D-Day agrees.

"Exactly!" Eric Stratton exclaims before resuming his pacing across the floor of D-Day’s room. "But that's - but he's - I’m not - we aren't - he's got a girlfriend, D-Day, a fiancée almost. Christ, D-Day, I’m going to lose my mind here. He's got a girlfriend, we're both straight, and I can't make heads or tails of any of this. _I’ve_ got a girlfriend! I was gonna dump her anyways, but Christ, D-Day. Fuck. Fuck."

"If you're straight, why do you wanna kiss ‘im so much?"

Otter groans in exasperation. "Keep up, D-Day, I don't want to KISS him, I was just really drunk! We both were, we were absolutely smashed. He's got such thin li-- such a thin mouth... and there was something about his deodorant, and the... just the way his legs wrapped around mine, he was..." D-Day sees him unconsciously bringing his fingers to his lips in thought. "It was just a weird moment, it wouldn't happen again, it was weird, but good, it was a good feeling... It was different from anything I’ve ever done with anyone. The way we just pulled each other into it, like a..."

Otter stops pacing. "I don't want to fuck him. I’m not gay, so I don't! What am I stressing out about? We were drunk! We were drunk."

"How drunk?"

Otter's eyes meet D-Day’s. He looks like a lost puppy. "I’d... had a beer," he says weakly.

D-Day gives Otter a sympathetic look. "That doesn't sound like drunk to me."

Eric looks at the floor, then back up at D-Day. His voice sounds sickly. "Am I in love with Boon?"

"Are you?"

Eric bites his lip. "No."

He turns and walks away. "But I... want to be?"

That night, exhausted out of his mind, Boon lays alone in his bed and on his lips he feels a phantom of Otter's. It's irrepressible: he licks his own lips, he wipes his mouth, he drinks some water, and still he can feel Otter's tongue rub deep against his and Otter's dry dry lips press his own, like it was last night all over again. Even his legs have this bizarre ghostly memory of Eric’s, and his toes squirm to recall how easy it was to lock their knees and calves in together. Boon rolls around, restless in futility, trying to ignore the waves of feeling that center on his dick as he tries to sleep in peace.

The last thought Boon can recall before passing into darkness is wondering whether Otter is feeling the same thing just down the hall. And just down the hall, Eric Stratton has his hand in his pants.

DELETED SCENES:

"You don't think I’m weird, do you?"

Bluto shrugs. "I fucked Hoover once."

Boon's jaw drops before he remembers himself.


End file.
